The things you can learn online.

[wildlittleminx]

"Holy...!"  Liz sat back, away from the library computer screen and glanced furtively to the left and right.  Good, no one seemed to hear or care about her verbal outburst.  With another look around the room and a swift look up at the clock, the teen pulled her chair closer to the computer screen to view the online photo and read the words beneath it.  <lj-cut>

Yes, that was him alright.  Warren Peace.  Son of Baron Battle himself, and hadn't Liz heard some of Tony's people mention that name once or twice a long time ago?  Baron Battle's son.  Well, when he said his father was in the slammer, he was right about that.  Three consecutive life sentences, damn. 

Son of a master villain and a "A super hero  Of course, this just keeps getting better and better."  Great, just great.  So, did he take after his father or his mother?  By the sound their conversations together, he might have taken after his mom more than his dad, but she couldn't be sure.  "So where does that put me?"  She continued to read, and then began doing research into Warren's fathers' history as well.

Shit.  Liz closed the window, and deleted the recent history, wiping the computer clean of any passwords, cookies and pages she'd opened in her search, then wiping the keyboard and screen clean of her fingerprints with a tissue.  Maybe she could tell him that she wasn't feeling well tonight, make an excuse for him not to come over.  He'd been doing that lately, coming in for early morning coffee or late night talk. 

'I can't tell him the truth' she thought to herself, gathering up her notebooks and making certain her area was clean before heading out the library door.  'What the hell do I say?  No Warren, it's not the fact that your dad's a villain and a murderer that has me scared.  It's the fact that your mom's a superhero.  Superheroes do superhero stuff like catching badguys.  Badguys like casino and museum thieves.  Like me.'

"But that isn't exactly fair to him."  Or her either for that matter.  He was someone she was actually growing to like.  A real man - boy - guy her own age who liked her just for who she was, or rather, who she tried to be.  And it was easier actually, having him around.  She didn't get the urge to go out and test herself against security systems , didn't get that itch for an illegal adrenaline rush by pitting herself against bank safeguards or PTZ infrared cameras, security guards.  She actually enjoyed simply being normal for a change.  Enjoyed being with him.  

'What the hell do I do?' she tried to come up with an answer as she strolled home in the early evening light.  Confessing was out of the question. 

Best bet?  Do nothing for now, except for watch and be aware.  Hero or villain, Warren just made her life a whole hell of a lot more complicated.  'I knew he was trouble when he was standing outside my door.  Knew he was trouble when he was standing in my living room in that tight leather jacket.  I knew it, and I knew it, and what the hell am I going to do now?

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[wartheflame.livejournal.com]

Warren was completely unaware of his neighbors troubles. But then he was unaware about who exactly she was. Had he known that, he would have had quite a lot to think about as well.

But he didn't know. She was just a girl his own age, living alone, and was nice to talk to. Not to mention that she was absolutely gorgeous.

He'd gotten his place in order now, gotten all the furniture built, everything unpacked, all the little things fixed. And, after having called a number that Liz gave him, he'd gotten himself a job. Part time, Friday and Saturday night, bouncing at a local club. So far it worked. While Warren might be young, he was both tall and well built, and could give people a look that spoke of pain and bodily injuries if they gave him troubles. It had been cool so far, though. He'd mostly had to diffuse situations before they came bad rather, and having to send overly intoxicated people on their way. And deny entry to people too young. People his age.
And, he was getting to practice keeping his powers in check on this job, and not let his temper run away with him. So far he had succeeded. The day he failed he would probably be without a job.

But tonight was not a Friday or Saturday night. Tonight was a Sunday night, and Warren was at home. The day had passed peacefully. He'd had his nose in a book for most of it, as was in no way uncommon for him. But as the sun began to set, he was getting restless, a clear sign that he'd been too physically inactive that day. He looked over at the weights he'd made room for in a corner of his bedroom, by the window. Hmmnoo, not what he was in the mood for.

He wondered if Liz was home. She probably was. He'd learned that she didn't do that much, outside of the daily stuff that everyone needed; work, getting food... And of course her nightly runs.

He made up his mind, and changed into sweats. Black, of course, as most of his wardrobe tended to be, even if the hoodie was mostly grey now, washed out as it was. Then, running shoes on and his hair tied back and out of his face, he stepped outside his apartment and took the few steps needed to cross the hall to Liz's door, and rang her doorbell.

[wildlittleminx.livejournal.com]

A girl. From his past, dating his best friend. Right, not that this complicates things at all. Elizabeth sat in silence, slurping up lo mein, and nodding as he spoke.

"Wow, this is spicier than I'd thought it would be." Liz stood up and headed to the refrigerator. "Think I'm going to have that beer after all." Hot tea and hot spicy food? Not so great for her tongue or taste buds. A nice cool beer on the other hand? Might just do the trick. "You want another one?" It was more a rhetorical question really, as Liz was intending to bring more than one back no matter what. There were a couple still left in there, and Liz closed the door with her elbow, bringing two back to the table. Setting one down near him, she continued around to her side.

"So she's checking out the colleges around here? I hear there are some good ones on the north side." Was his friend a hero or a villain? Or just a normal chick like her? Liz had been deluding herself into thinking that Warren had no past, like she had no past. Like she didn't want to have a past rather. She twisted the cap off the beer and took a sip. Ah, much better.

"Ok, we'll start with the easy stuff. You got any brothers or sisters? What's your favorite color? What do you like to watch for cartoons on Saturday morning TV? When are you going to let me brush your hair?" Ok, that last one was an accident, a matter of her thinking out loud and she colored up, automatically reaching for the tea cup to have a drink and try to pretend she didn't actually say that.

HOT! Ow, ow ow - Liz reached for the beer bottle with her other hand, tilting her head back and gulping back a few swallows. Classy Liz, she thought to herself, wiping her face with the back of her hand. Real classy.